Kid Doc Talk: Is my Child Growing Well?
By Dr. Janet Grabowski
Q. How do I know if my child is growing well?
A. Many things affect a child's growth including their eating and physical activity habits, environment and parent's height. If your child is growing well, his head circumference, weight and length/height will follow (or "track") along the same growth lines over time.
Babies grow at different rates. For example, breastfed babies tend to grow more quickly than non-breastfed babies in the first six months and tend to grow more slowly in the second six months of life. Non-breastfed babies tend to grow faster in the second six months of life.
Keep track of your child's growth
The way your child grows says a lot about her health. Growing too fast or too slowly can be a sign of possible problems with health or nutrition.
Starting from birth, your child's weight and length/height should be measured on a regular basis to see how he is growing over time. Babies and toddlers should also have the size of their head measured (head circumference).
Your child should be weighed and measured at all regularly scheduled well-child visits and/or at visits when your child is ill. Typical well-child visits may occur:
- within one to two weeks of birth
- at two, four, six, nine, 12, 18 and 24 months
- once per year for children over two years and for adolescents
Growth charts
A growth chart is a type of graph used to track your child's growth pattern. Each time your child is measured, the new weight and length/height measurements are marked on the growth chart.
The chart helps show if your child is growing in a healthy way. Your child's growth chart will be kept as part of her health record until she becomes an adult. You can ask to see this growth chart at each visit.
In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new child growth standards. The WHO growth charts are the best tool for tracking a child's growth. The WHO growth charts are being used to track children's growth in a number of countries all over the world. To find out more visit the Canadian Paediatric Society's web site.
Remember all children have a pattern of growth that is natural for them. Regular weight and length/height measurements over time will show your child's special growth pattern.
Talk to your health care provider if you have concerns about your child's growth.
Dr. Janet Grabowski is a paediatrician in Winnipeg. She is a member of the Canadian Paediatric Society.
For more information on your child's growth and development, get answers from Canada's paediatric experts in either English* or French.* The website has new look and more information than ever. Visit often for news you can use, the latest information on your child's age and stage and helpful tips for every day. You can also find us on Facebook and on Twitter @CaringforKids.(* Will open in a new window.)
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Kid Doc Talk: Is my Child Growing Well?
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